Abbey Paxton has spent hours sitting with financial advisers in recent months, puzzling over how to fit skyrocketing health insurance premiums into her family's 2026 budget. Paxton, a 37-year-old mother of two who owns a bookstore in Des Moines, said her family's high deductible plan purchased through the federal Affordable Care Act Marketplace is slated to increase 10% next year and estimates the jump will cost a couple hundred extra dollars per month. Her family is among the thousands of Iowans who may have tough calls to make as they face the lapse of an Obamacare subsidy that has kept health care plans more affordable while health insurance premiums rise. The Obamacare subsidies have been at the center of the federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1 as Democratic congressional leaders urge Republicans to extend the subsidy as part of any funding deal. Republicans say talks about the subsidy shouldn't be part of shutdown negotiations. Tap the link in our bio for more on thi...